Home Sweet Home
by Kryptonite
Summary: Scott is unhappy and is asked by Xavier to take one of the new students home.
1. Leaving Behind

Home Sweet Home

Part One: Leaving Behind

Author: Kryptonite

Disclaimer: I do NOT own X-men. Though with as often as I borrow the characters I should.

Spoilers: Slight

Summary: Introduction. Scott is unhappy and is asked by Xavier to take one of the new students home.

A/N: I know, I know, ANOTHER story. And it's X-men no less. But sigh sadly the story just kept attacking until I sat down and wrote it. I should be doing my psych homework but that's boring. Hope y'all enjoy.

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The mansion was as quiet as it ever was. Kids shouted and laughed and talked, their voices echoing up, down, around and through the cavernous building. The noise was dampened by the thick carpeting, dense wood walls and rich velvet drapes over the window, but it wasn't enough to mute it completely. That was the beauty of Xavier's School for the Gifted. No matter where you went you were never alone.

Of course, that gift was just as easily a curse. For those whose mutations didn't allow them to be near others, or whose upbringing didn't allow them to be near others. Everyone in the mansion was alone, for one reason or another. Some were more alone that others while others didn't have a single problem in the world. Xavier took in all kinds of students, some with obvious powers and others without such obvious powers. Never has his decision been questioned before.

This girl was different.

&

"Aubrey?" A boys' name was called but a girl turned to answer.

"Yes?" Her headphones blasted in her ears, causing questioning glances to be sent between students as to how in the world she ever heard anything.

"I asked you to redo your report and place it on my desk. Where-"

Aubrey cut her off. "It's on your desk." She turned from Jean, her mind slipping back into its usual trancelike state as the music continued to pound through her mind. Jean sent a quick reprimand to Aubrey, the girl wincing as it was received but never breaking stride. She flopped down into one of the arm chairs where a book was resting. Within seconds it was in her hands and opened to the correct page.

"I don't know why Xavier wants her here. She's rude, inconsiderate, annoying, obnoxious and-"

"Not a mutant?" Again Jean was cut off but this time by a fellow X-men, her once fiancé Scott.

"That's not what I was going to say." Jean was exasperated. Her sigh was explosive as she eased into the chair next to Logan, sparing him a half smile as the other X-men all turned to face her.

"Sure. Just like it's not what you've been saying for the past six or seven months that she's been here." Scott turned an eyeless glance on Jean, taking in the way Logan's hand draped over her armrest, over Jean's own arm. He turned away, hidden eyes blinking furiously.

"It just doesn't make any sense. She's either on the computer or reading those dumb books and no matter what she's doing she always has those stupid headphones on. You'd think she was deaf with how loud they're always turned up." Jean's hand flipped over, entwining her fingers with Logan's as the usual argument formed. Instead Scott gave in.

"Whatever." Scott walked away from the group, not able to stand the progression of affection that was sure to follow. He looked at Rogue just once as he past. The girl was with Bobby but the looks that she passed Logan's way whenever he was with Jean didn't miss Scott. He knew that look, knowing that he'd had it more than once in the beginning, and even now.

Aubrey looked up and watched as Scott walked from the room, before turning her eyes to the rest of the X-men. Instantly her head was back in her book as her feet picked her up and carried her after him. She followed him down the long twisting corridors to Xavier's office. Scott went in and closed the door, still not knowing that Aubrey was behind him.

She sat down in one of the chairs that littered the hallway and waited, still reading her book.

&

"Professor Xavier may I talk to you?" Scott entered the room without even bothering to wait for permission, knowing that the door would have been locked or Xavier would have told him to wait before he made it this far if he wasn't allowed to.

"What can I do for you Scott?" The old man looked like he'd been waiting for this and he probably had. Being a telepath gave him some advantages over the rest of the house, which was for the best. Xavier stayed behind his desk having been told what to expect. It still fazed him when the words tumbled out of Scott's mouth.

"I need to leave." Scott waited a few seconds as Xavier managed to keep his composure. "I just can't stay here with them acting like they do."

Scott paused again, hoping his mentor would say something. Xavier nodded, sending out a silent summons to Aubrey in the hallway. The door opened a little ways and Aubrey's brunette head poked through the opening.

"As it is Scott," Xavier motioned for Aubrey to enter completely. She did, shutting the door behind her before coming to sit in the chair near Xavier's desk, just in front of Scott. "I was going to ask for a favor. Aubrey needs to return to her home and gather a few items. I thought it would be the perfect way to get her to integrate into the school and for one of the teachers to take an extended break. Since you seem to have a need to leave anyway, perhaps you could do this favor for me?" Xavier's question came out as more of an already answered question than one he really wanted Scott to answer.

Scott did his best not to let his disappointment show, in his body language or in his mind. Living with two telepaths for so long had done him some good in that department.

"Then it's settled. Aubrey go pack a few outfits and get ready to leave." Xavier motioned for the silent girl to leave and she did as she was told turning staring eyes on Scott as she brushed past him, making sure not to touch him. "Was there something else Scott? Take any vehicle you want, with the exception of your motorcycle, of course." Xavier smiled at the man, letting him know that he really didn't have any say in the situation.

"Nothing else sir." Scott turned and left, blocking out the anger at his mentor and Jean and Logan until he was further from the house. He knocked at Aubrey's door and it was opened automatically, a small book bag already slung over her shoulder. Scott took in how she really looked. In the time she'd been at the mansion she hadn't said much, keeping to herself and staying quieter than a mouse.

"Are you ready?" Scott didn't know why the words escaped his lips. He felt like hitting himself as soon as he said those three little words. She nodded silently, stepping into the hallway and closing the door behind them. Scott turned and headed down the hallway to his own room, grabbing an already packed duffel from his closet. Turning around he noticed that Aubrey had stopped at the door, deliberately not looking into the opening.

"You're allowed to come in. I just need to grab my toothbrush and we can go." Scott noticed that even once Aubrey did enter the room she was stiff as a board and kept her eyes from focusing on anything. "Do you have everything you need?" Aubrey nodded as he came back from the bathroom with the few toiletries that he wanted to take.

Scott just shoved the last little bits into his bag. Nodding to Aubrey the two left, Scott closing the door behind him. He paused for a moment, his hand resting on the doorknob until Aubrey's hand rested against his other elbow. It was the first deliberate contact she had made with anyone, even if it was only on cloth. Scott nodded, following the girl to the garage. Scott tossed his duffel into the back of a nondescript black truck, opening the driver's door and climbing in. Aubrey was already positioned in the passenger seat.

It took Scott the time to back out of the garage and down the driveway to realize what was missing.

"Where are your headphones?" He questioned, not moving incase she had forgotten them.

"In my bag." Her voice was quiet as if from disuse, not at all like how it sounded in the mansion with all of the other voices crowding it out.

Scott nodded, putting the truck into drive and taking off. Aubrey rested her forehead against the cool window as they drove along the walls to the mansion. In a matter of moments they had left the mansion and its grounds behind. The inside of the truck was silent as they sped down the road and into the future.


	2. Instinct Voices

Home Sweet Home

Part Two: Instinct Voices

Author: Kryptonite

Disclaimer: I do NOT own X-men, though with as often as I borrow the characters I should.

Spoilers: Slight

Summary: Scott is unhappy and is asked by Xavier to take one of the new students home. This is later the same day, a glance at one of Aubrey's abilities. Some bonding included.

A/N: Second chapter in one night. All of my usual readers know that this won't last. But hey, it's an update for something right? May not be the right one but I'm at my mom's for Christmas break and I don't have any of my other stories available like at my dad's. Sorry y'all. Enjoy.

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"Are you hungry?" Scott asked. It was getting darker and the two had been driving straight for almost six hours.

"A little." Aubrey was as quiet as ever, her voice seeming a mere echo. Scott nodded and started looking for an exit with some amount of tempting fast food. Another twenty miles and he was rewarded.

"Arby's sound good?" Aubrey nodded in answer to Scott's question, her forehead still pressed against the glass the wheels ate up the miles between them and the mansion. Scott put on his blinker to get off the nearly empty highway and turned right to get to the Arby's. It was a small place, an Arby's, McDonalds, Burger King, two gas stations and a tiny supermarket. Aubrey unbuckled her seatbelt once Scott pulled the key out of the ignition and instead of reaching for the door just sat there.

"Is something wrong?" Scott questioned with his hand on the handle of the door, the door hanging half open. Aubrey just shook her head, her eyes glued to the dashboard. "Aubrey." Scott reached over to wave his hand in front of the girls' eyes. Just as his hand reached about the level of her shoulder she jerked away, slamming her body into the door and window. "Aubrey, it's just me."

Her eyes were filled with fear and something else, a strange mixture that disappeared almost as soon as Scott identified it. Aubrey paused, licking her lips, before she turned and exited the truck leaving behind a confused Scott. Aubrey turned back to look at the truck once she'd reached the sidewalk. Her eyes asked the question that couldn't make it past her cherry lips, _Are you coming?_

Scott nodded, exiting from his own door, closing it behind him. He turned to walk towards Aubrey and found her next to him. She stretched out one hand to his, grabbing his own hand in hers. Dragging him after her she forced him into the fast food restaurant. Scott just grinned at her determination. She may have been silent but after so long in the car and six and a half months of observation, he could tell a little more of her emotions just by looking at her.

"Beef and cheddar please, coke." Aubrey answered the question before the cashier asked it, her voice barely a whisper.

"I'm sorry, what?" The cashier was young, a teenager. He had dark brown hair, almost black, dark gray eyes, two piercings in his eyebrows and one in his left ear. He was over-weight and his Arby's apron was stretched tight across his stomach.

"She wants a beef and cheddar sandwich and a coke. I'd like-"

"No you don't." Aubrey's hand was pressed against his stomach, the back of her hand resting there.

"What?" Scott was oblivious to the contact as he wondered about her words. It would hit him later that this was the third time she had willing touched another human being.

"You don't want onion rings." Aubrey was staring at the menu, trying to decide what he should get.

"How did you know what I was going to order?" _Xavier should have mentioned she was a telepath_, Scott thought angrily as Aubrey's eyes finally settled on something.

"Call it instinct. Hamburger and curly fries." Aubrey turned her amazingly ice green eyes towards Scott, not that he could see anything other than a slightly darker shade of red. Frankly she looked blind to him. Scott shrugged as he turned back to the cashier.

"A cheeseburger with just ketchup, curly fries and a coke." Scott ordered as Aubrey's hand dropped from his thin stomach. She turned to look towards another customer, eyes staring once more. Finally one hand came up to massage her temples as she turned her gaze to the linoleum floor. Scott grabbed the tray as the food was placed on it, opening a space for the other customer's behind them to move up.

The two ate most of their joint meal in silence, one hand constantly at Aubrey's temple and another constantly checking Scott's visor was in place. Finally Scott broke the silence.

"The grocery store is still open. We should probably pop in there for supplies. Snacks, blankets, pillows… aspirin." Aubrey paused her hand in mid-rub as her eyes shot up to Scott's.

"That would be nice." Aubrey commented, her hand dropping down to the table top. It rested there for a few moments before it was back up, her face resting against it. "Are you done?" Aubrey snaked a few curly fries before Scott could answer.

"I guess the answer to that would be a yes, seeing as how those were my last fries." Aubrey simply gave him an innocent smile as she swallowed the last of his food. Scott grinned back moving to take the tray to the trashcan. Aubrey followed as his silent shadow, moving behind him out to the truck. The seat belts buckled and the engine flared to life. All movement stopped as the phone rang. It was in the glove compartment and Scott turned the engine off to make sure he'd actually heard it.

Aubrey exchanged a glance with Scott before lunging for the glove compartment. The phone was in her hand as Scott told her quietly not to answer it. The phone was opened and placed to her ear. Aubrey didn't say a word as the other voice suddenly exploded from the phone. Scott could hear the other person, Jean, talking but couldn't make out what she was saying.

Finally Aubrey spoke, in a loud, clear and concise voice that was extremely different from her own. "Wrong number." The voice was guttural and deep, putting Scott in mind of a fat, drunk trucker. As soon as the thought past through his head the phone was hung up, turned off and placed in the glove compartment. Aubrey turned to face him after the lid was clicked shut.

"Are we going or not?" Aubrey smiled at him, her voice returned to normal but considerably louder than it had ever been at the mansion.

"Uh… yeah." The engine was started again and Scott moved to back out of the parking lot. It took all of ten minutes to go into the general store and get the supplies they needed. Once they were back on the highway the radio was turned on lightly and Aubrey started looking around the trucks' cab.

"So… where are we supposed to sleep?" Aubrey's voice was still loud and happy, something that made Scott happy just to hear, despite being the opposite of what he was used to.

"It's only August. Still warm enough at night that we can put some of the blankets down as bedding in the bed and sleep in the back. That is if you don't mind. I was planning on taking my bike and camping out anyway." Aubrey smiled and nodded, her head turning to lean against the window as Scott continued to drive down the dark roadway.

It was near midnight before Scott finally pulled over. Aubrey was still awake but both were struggling to stay that way. They pulled the truck over onto the shoulder and started preparing for sleeping in the back of the truck. Scott laid out the blankets while Aubrey grabbed the two pillows they'd bought and placed them near the cab.

"You okay?" Scott mumbled once they were lying down and under the blankets. Aubrey nodded, yawning loudly before adding 'Uh-huh' in her normal voice. Of course at this point Scott wasn't sure what her normal voice was. "Good." Scott mumbled again, turning towards Aubrey as he started to fall into sleep.

He rolled over on his back, looking through his glasses up at the night sky. Scott's eyes drifted closed but ripped wide open when he felt Aubrey's arm over his stomach. "Aubrey?" He questioned quietly. Looking down he could tell she was asleep. Relaxing after a few minutes Scott took a deep breath and tried again to go to sleep. One hand rested lightly on Aubrey's hair as he slipped into sleep.


End file.
